1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and more particularly to an array substrate having no wavy noise problem and an improved aperture ratio and a method of fabricating the array substrate.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The conventional LCD devices use an optical anisotropic property and polarization properties of liquid crystal molecules to display images. The liquid crystal molecules have orientation characteristics of arrangement resulting from their thin and long shape. Thus, an arrangement direction of the liquid crystal molecules can be controlled by applying an electrical field to them. Accordingly, when the electric field is applied to them, the polarization properties of light are changed according to the arrangement of the liquid crystal molecules such that the LCD devices display images.
The LCD device includes a first substrate, a second substrate and a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween. A common electrode and a pixel electrode are respectively formed on the first and second substrates. The first and second substrates may be referred to as a color substrate and an array substrate, respectively. The liquid crystal layer is driven by a vertical electric field induced between the common and pixel electrodes. The LCD device usually has excellent transmittance and aperture ratio.
Among the known types of LCD devices, active matrix LCD (AM-LCD) devices, which have thin film transistors (TFTs) arranged in a matrix form, are the subject of significant research and development because of their high resolution and superior ability in displaying moving images.
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an LCD device according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 1, the LCD device 51 includes a first substrate 5, a second substrate 10 and a liquid crystal layer (not shown) interposed therebetween. The first and second substrates 5 and 10 face and are spaced apart from each other. A black matrix 6, a color filter layer, which includes sub-color filters 7a, 7b and 7c, and a common electrode 9 are formed on the first substrate 5. The black matrix 6 has a lattice pattern and blocks light through the second substrate 10. Each of the sub-color filters 7a, 7b and 7c has one of red R, green G and blue B colors. The sub-color filters 7a, 7b and 7c are formed in the lattice patterns. The common electrode 9 of a transparent conductive material is formed on the black matrix 6 and the color filter layer 7.
A gate line 14 and a data line 26 are formed on the second substrate 10. The gate and data lines 14 and 26 cross each other such that a pixel region P is defined on the second substrate 10. A thin film transistor (TFT) T is formed in the pixel region P. The TFT T is connected to the gate and data lines 14 and 26. Although not shown, the TFT T includes a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. The gate and source electrodes are connected to the gate line 14 and the data line 26, respectively. The source electrode is spaced apart from the drain electrode. Moreover, a pixel electrode 32 is formed in the pixel region P. The pixel electrode 32 is connected to the TFT T. The pixel electrode 32 is formed of a transparent conductive material, such as indium-tin-oxide (ITO) and indium-zinc-oxide (IZO). As mentioned above, an electric field is induced between the common and pixel electrodes 9 and 32 to drive the liquid crystal layer (not shown).
Generally, the array substrate may be fabricated by one of a five mask process and a six mask process. The five mask process includes the following steps.
In a first mask process, the gate electrode and the gate line are formed on the second substrate. At the same time, a gate pad, which is formed at one end of the gate line, is formed on the second substrate. Then, a gate insulating layer is formed on the entire surface of the second substrate having the gate electrode and the gate line.
In a second mask process, the semiconductor layer, which includes an active layer and an ohmic contact layer, is formed on the gate insulating layer. The semiconductor layer corresponds to the gate electrode.
In a third mask process, the data line, the source electrode and the drain electrode are formed on the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer. The source and drain electrodes correspond to the semiconductor layer. At the same time, a data pad, which is disposed at one end of the data line, is formed on the gate insulating layer.
In a fourth mask process, a passivation layer having a drain contact hole is formed on the data line, the source electrode and the drain electrode. The drain contact hole exposes the drain electrode.
In a fifth mask process, the pixel electrode is formed on the passivation layer. The pixel electrode is connected to the drain electrode through the drain contact hole.
Since the array substrate is fabricated through a complicated mask process, a possibility of deterioration increases and production yield decreases. In addition, since fabrication time and cost increase, a competitiveness of product is weakened.
To resolve these problems in the five mask process, a four mask process is suggested.
FIG. 2 is a plane view of one pixel region of the array substrate fabricated by a four mask process according to the related art. As shown in FIG. 2, the gate line 62 and the data line 98 are formed on the substrate 60. The gate and data lines 62 and 98 cross each other such that the pixel region P is defined on the substrate 60. The gate pad 66 is formed at one end of the gate line 62. The data pad 99 is formed at one end of the data line 98. A transparent gate pad terminal (GPT) is formed on the gate pad 66. The gate pad terminal GPT contacts the gate pad 66. A data pad terminal (DPT) of being transparent is formed on the data pad 99. The data pad terminal DPT contacts the data pad 99.
A TFT T including a gate electrode 64, a first semiconductor layer 91, a source electrode 94 and a drain electrode 96 is disposed at a crossing portion of the gate and data lines 62 and 98. The gate electrode 64 is connected to the gate line 62 and the source electrode 94 is connected to the data line 98. The source and drain electrodes 94 and 96 are spaced apart from each other on the first semiconductor layer 91. A pixel electrode PXL is formed in the pixel region P and contacts the drain electrode 96.
A metal layer 97 having an island shape and contacting the pixel electrode PXL overlaps a portion of the gate line 62. The portion of the gate line 62 as a first storage electrode, the metal layer 97 as a second storage electrode and a gate insulating layer (not shown) between the first and second storage electrodes as a dielectric material constitute a storage capacitor Cst.
A second semiconductor layer 92 is formed under the data line 98, and a third semiconductor layer 93 is formed under the metal layer 97. Because the second semiconductor layer 92 extends from the first semiconductor layer 91 in the four mask process, the second semiconductor layer 92 has the same structure as the first semiconductor layer 91. A portion of an active layer of the first semiconductor layer 91 is not covered by the gate electrode 64 and is exposed to light from a backlight unit (not shown) under the substrate 60. And, a portion of an active layer of the second semiconductor layer 92 is not covered by the data line 98 and is exposed to ambient light. Namely, the active layer of the second semiconductor layer 92 protrudes beyond the data line 98. Because the active layer of the first semiconductor layer 91 is formed of amorphous silicon, a photo leakage current is generated due to the light from the backlight unit. As a result, properties of the TFT T are degraded due to the photo leakage current. Moreover, because the active layer of the second semiconductor layer 92 is also formed of amorphous silicon, a leakage current is also generated in the second semiconductor layer 92 due to the ambient light. The light leakage current causes a coupling of signals in the data line 98 and the pixel electrode PXL to generate deterioration, such as a wavy noise, when displaying images. A black matrix (not shown) designed to cover the protruding portion of the second semiconductor layer 92 reduces aperture ratio of the LCD device.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views taken along the line IIIa-IIIa and IIIb-IIIb of FIG. 2, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the first semiconductor layer 91 is formed under the source and drain electrodes 94 and 96 and the second semiconductor layer 92 is formed under the data line 98 in an array substrate fabricated through a four mask process according to the related art. The second semiconductor layer 92 extends from the first semiconductor layer 91.
The first semiconductor layer 91 includes an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer as an active layer 91a and an impurity-doped amorphous silicon layer as an ohmic contact layer 91b. The second semiconductor layer 92 includes an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer 92a and an impurity-doped amorphous silicon layer 92b. 
Since the first semiconductor layer 91 is connected to the second semiconductor layer 92, a portion of the active layer 91a can not be completely covered by the gate electrode 64. The portion of the active layer 91a is exposed to light from the backlight unit (not shown), and thus a photo current is generated in the active layer 91a. This photo current becomes a leakage current in the TFT T, which causes an abnormal leakage of voltage in the pixel region P. As a result, properties of the TFT T are degraded.
Further, the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer 92a of the second semiconductor layer 92 under the data line 98 protrudes beyond the data line 98. When the protruding portion of the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer 92a is exposed to light from the backlight unit or an ambient light, it is repeatedly activated and inactivated, and thus a light leakage current is generated. Since the light leakage current is coupled with the signal in the pixel electrode PXL, arrangement of liquid crystal molecules is abnormally distorted. Accordingly, a wavy noise such as undesired waves shaped with thin lines are displayed in the LCD device occurs.
In one embodiment, a width of the data line is about 3.9 μm and the protruding portion of the active layer 92a of the second semiconductor layer 92 is about 1.85 μm. Generally, a distance between the data line 98 and the pixel electrode PXL is about 4.5 μm in consideration of alignment error in an LCD device through a five or a six mask process. Accordingly, a distance D between the data line 98 and the pixel electrode PXL is about 6.35 μm due to the protrusion of the amorphous silicon layer 92a. 
Assume that a width of the black matrix BM and a width of the data line 98 are indicated as W1 and W2, respectively, and a width of a protruding portion of the active layer 92a of the second semiconductor layer 92 is indicated as D1. A distance between the data line and the pixel electrode PXL is indicated as D2, and a width considering the alignment error is indicated as D3. When the array substrate fabricated by the four mask process has the same distance D2 as width D3 considering the alignment error as the array substrate fabricated by the five mask process, the array substrate fabricated by the four mask process has a black matrix BM with a greater width W1. The increase in width W1 corresponds to the excess width of the protruding portion of the active layer 92a beyond the black matrix BM in the LCD device fabricated by the five mask. This difference in width W1 is because the array substrate fabricated by the five mask process does not have the protruding portion of an active layer under a data line. The increase in the width of the black matrix BM reduces aperture ratio.
FIGS. 4A to 4G are cross-sectional views showing a fabrication process of a portion taken along the line IIIa-IIIa of FIG. 2, FIGS. 5A to 5G are cross-sectional views showing a fabrication process of a portion taken along the line V-V of FIG. 2, and FIGS. 6A to 6G are cross-sectional views showing a fabrication process a portion taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 2.
FIGS. 4A, 5A and 6A show a first mask process. As shown in FIGS. 4A, 5A and 6A, a gate line 62, a gate pad 66 and a gate electrode 64 are formed on a substrate 60 having a pixel region P, a switching region S, a gate pad region GP, a data pad region DP and a storage region C through a first mask process. The gate pad 66 is formed at one end of the gate line 62. The gate electrode 64 is connected to the gate line 62 and disposed in the switching region S. The gate pad 66 is disposed in the gate pad region GP. The gate line 62, the gate pad 66 and the gate electrode 64 are formed by depositing and patterning a first metal layer (not shown) using a first mask (not shown) as a pattering mask. The first metal layer includes one or more selected from a conductive metallic material group including aluminum (Al), aluminum alloy (AlNd), tungsten (W), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo). The first metal layer may have a double-layered structure.
FIGS. 4B to 4E, 5B to 5E and 6B to 6E show a second mask process. As shown in FIGS. 4B, 5B and 6B, a gate insulating layer 68, an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer 70, an impurity-doped amorphous silicon layer 72 and a second metal layer 74 are formed on the substrate 60 having the gate line 62. The gate insulating layer 68 is formed of an inorganic insulating material or an organic insulating material. The inorganic insulating material may include one of silicon nitride and silicon oxide, and the organic insulating material may include one of benzocyclobuene (BCB) and acrylate resin. The second metal layer includes one or more selected from a conductive metallic material group including aluminum (Al), aluminum alloy (AlNd), tungsten (W), chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo). The second metal material may have a double-layered structure. A photoresist (PR) layer 76 is formed on the second metal layer 74. A second mask M is disposed over the photoresist layer 76. The second mask M has a transmitting portion B1, a blocking portion B2 and a half-transmitting portion B3. The transmitting portion B1 has a relatively high transmittance so that light through the transmitting portion B1 can completely change the PR layer 76 chemically. The blocking portion B2 shields light completely. The half-transmitting portion B3 has a slit structure or a half-transmitting film so that intensity or transmittance of light through the half-transmitting portion B3 can be lowered. As a result, a transmittance of the half-transmitting portion B3 is smaller than that of the transmitting portion B1 and is greater than that of the blocking portion B2.
The half-transmitting portion B3 and the blocking portions B2 at both sides of the half-transmitting portion B3 correspond to the switching region S. The transmitting portion B1 corresponds to the gate pad region GP and the pixel region P, and the blocking portion B2 corresponds to the storage region C and the data pad region DP. The PR layer 76 is exposed to light through the second mask M.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 4C, 5C and 6C, first to third PR patterns 78a, 78b and 78c are formed in the switching region S, the data pad region DP and the storage region C, respectively such that the second metal layer 74 is exposed by the first to third PR patterns 78a, 78b and 78c. The first PR pattern 78a has relatively low height in a center portion due to the half-transmitting portion B3 of the second mask M. Then, the second metal layer 74, the impurity-doped amorphous silicon layer 72 and the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer 70 are etched using the first to third PR patterns 78a to 78c as a mask.
The second metal layer 74, the impurity-doped amorphous silicon layer 72 and the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer 70 are continuously or separately etched depending on the metallic material of the second metal layer 74.
As shown in FIGS. 4D, 5D and 6D, first to third metal patterns 80, 82 and 86 are formed under the first to third PR patterns 7a, 7b and 7c, and first to third semiconductor patterns 90a, 90b and 90c are formed under the first to third metal patterns 80, 82 and 86. The second metal pattern 82 extends from the first metal pattern 80, and the third metal pattern 86 having an island shape is formed in the storage region C. The first to third semiconductor patterns 90a, 90b and 90c include an intrinsic amorphous silicon pattern 70a and an impurity-doped amorphous silicon pattern 72a. 
Next, the first to third PR patterns 78a, 78b and 78c are ashed such that the thinner portion of the first PR pattern 78a is removed to expose the first metal pattern 80. At the same time, boundary portions of the first to third PR patterns 78a, 78b and 78c are also removed. As a result, the first to third PR patterns 78a to 78c are partially removed to form fourth to sixth PR patterns 79a, 79b and 79c exposing the first to third metal patterns 80, 82 and 86, respectively.
As shown in FIGS. 4E, 5E and 6E, the first to third metal patterns 80, 82 and 86 and the impurity-doped amorphous silicon layer 72a of the first to third semiconductor layers 90a, 90b and 90c are etched using the fourth to sixth PR patterns 79a to 79c. The first metal pattern 80 (of FIG. 4D) in the switching region S is etched to form source and drain electrodes 94 and 96, the second metal pattern 82 (of FIG. 6D) in the data pad region DP is etched to form a data line 98 and a data pad 99, and the third metal pattern 86 (of FIG. 4D) in the storage region C is etched to form a metal layer 97. The intrinsic amorphous silicon layer 70a (of FIG. 4D) and the impurity-doped amorphous silicon layer 72a (of FIG. 4D) of the first semiconductor pattern 90a (of FIG. 4D) are etched to form an active layer 91a and an ohmic contact layer 91b, respectively.
The active layer 91a and the ohmic contact layer 91b constitute a first semiconductor layer 91. The active layer 91a is exposed through the ohmic contact layer 91b and is over-etched so that impurities do not remain on the active layer 92a. In addition, the second and third semiconductor patterns 90b and 90c (of FIGS. 6D and 4D) are etched to form second and third semiconductor layers 92 and 93, respectively. An overlapped portion of the gate line 62 as a first storage electrode and the metal layer 97 as a second storage electrode constitutes a storage capacitor Cst with the gate insulating layer 68, which is interposed between the gate line 62 and the first metal layer 97, and the third semiconductor layer 93. The fourth to sixth PR patterns 79a, 79b and 79c are then removed.
FIGS. 4F, 5F, and 6F show a third mask process. As shown in FIGS. 4F, 5F, and 6F, a passivation layer PAS is formed on the substrate 60 having the data line 98. The passivation layer PAS is patterned using a third mask (not shown) to form a drain contact hole CH1 exposing the drain electrode 96, a storage contact hole CH2 exposing the metal layer 97, and a data pad contact hole CH4 exposing the data pad 99. Also, the passivation layer PAS and the gate insulating layer 68 are patterned using the third mask (not shown) to form a gate pad contact hole CH3 exposing the gate pad 66.
FIGS. 4G, 5G and 6G show a fourth mask process. As shown in FIGS. 4G, 5G and 6G, a transparent conductive material is deposited on the passivation layer PAS and patterned through a fourth mask (not shown) to form a pixel electrode PXL, a gate pad terminal GPT and a data pad terminal DPT. The pixel electrode PXL contacts the drain electrode 96 through the drain contact hole CH1 and the metal layer 97 through the storage contact hole CH2. The gate pad terminal GPT contacts the gate pad 66 through the gate pad contact hole CH3, and the data pad terminal DPT contacts the data pad 99 through the data pad contact hole CH4.
Through the above four mask process, the array substrate is fabricated. Compared to the five mask process, production costs and production time can be saved by the four mask process.
However, as mentioned above, the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer of the second semiconductor layer protrudes beyond the data line. Accordingly, a wavy noise occurs and aperture ratio is reduced.
Further, because the active layer is connected to the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer of the second semiconductor layer, a portion of the active layer is not covered by the gate electrode. Accordingly, the light leakage current is generated in the thin film transistor. Also, because the active layer should be formed thickly in consideration of the over-etching, fabrication time and product cost increase.
Moreover, because the LCD device having the array substrate fabricated by the fourth mask process requires a black matrix having a width greater than that of the LCD device having the array substrate fabricated by the five mask process, aperture ratio is further reduce.